Preceden

Road to Revolution

1763-1775

Main

Navigation Law

1650

stated that all goods flowing to and from the colonies could only be transported by British vessels - aimed to hurt rival Dutch shippers

Grenville ordered strict enforcement of Navigation Law

1763

Proclamation of 1763

1763

Grenville set line that the colonists could not expand farther west to avoid more conflict with the natives

Seven Years' War ends

1763

Sugar Act

1764

-first law ever passed by Parliament to raise tax revenue in the colonies for England
-it increased the duty on foreign sugar imported from West Indies
-bitter protests led to lowering of duties

Quatering Act

1765

required certain colonies to provide food and quarters for British troops

Stamp Act

1765

-imposed by Grenville
-to raise revenues to support new military force
-tax on tamps

Stamp Act Congress

1765

-brought together 27 delegates from 9 colonies in NYC
-made a statement of rights/grievances
-required Parliament to repeal Stamp Act
-big step toward intercolonial unity

repeal of Stamp Act

1766

Townshend Acts

1767

tax on glass, white lead, paper, paint, tea

British troops come to colonies

1768

Boston Massacre

March 5, 1770

crowd of 60 townspeople taunted 10 redcoats - open fire on civilians

first Committee of Correspondence

1772

created by Samuel Adams - spread spirit of resistance

VA House of Burgesses proposed intercolonial correspondence

1773

Boston Tea Party

December 16, 1773

band of Bostonians disguised as Indians boarded and dumped tea into sea

first Continental Congress

1774

-met in Philadelphia to adress Intolerable Acts
-12 colonies (not GA)
-Declaration of Rights written
-created The Association - a boycott of British goods
-did not yet call for independence

Intolerable Acts

1774

Parliament punished people of Massachusetts
-Boston Port Act - closed Boston harbor until damages paid
-restricted town meetings
-took away charter rights
-new Quartering Act gave officials power to lodge soldiers anywhere, even in private homes

Quebec Act

1774

-gave Catholic French Canadians religious freedom
-nullified Western expansion - extended boundaries of Quebec to Ohio River and Mississippi River

Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment

1775

freedom to blacks who joined British army

Shot Heard Round the World

1775

British commander in Boston sent troops to Lexington
-captured rebel ringleaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock
-Lexington Massacre
-300 casualties and 70 deaths

Valley Forge

1777 - 1778

  • Americans went without food for 3 days in winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, PA